List of Chinese military texts

Last updated September 14, 2024

Chinese military texts have existed ever since Chinese civilization was founded. China's armies have long benefited from this rich strategic tradition, influenced by texts such as Sun Tzu's The Art of War , that have deeply influenced military thought.^[1] Although traditional Chinese Confucian philosophy favoured peaceful political solutions and showed contempt for brute military force, the military was influential in most Chinese states. The works of well known strategists such as Sun Tzu and Sun Bin have heavily influenced military philosophy, warfare, and political discourse throughout China's long history. Works such as The Art of War have also found a strong following around the world, where they have influenced people as far ranging as the Chinese Communist Party and the former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.^[2]

Overview

The most well known of these military texts are the Seven Military Classics . The texts were canonized under this name during the 11th century AD, and from the Song dynasty onwards were included in most military encyclopedias.^[3] For imperial officers, either some or all of the works were required reading to merit promotion, analogous to the requirement for all bureaucrats to study and become familiar with Confucius' work. There were many anthologies with different notations and analyses by scholars throughout the centuries leading up to the present versions in Western publishing. Members of the Chinese Communist Party also studied the texts during the Chinese Civil War as well as many European and American military minds.^[3]

Military Texts

Seven Military Classics

Name	Authors	Content	Dynasty	Date	Origin	Image	Description
1400The Art of War (Chinese : 孫子兵法 ; pinyin :Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ)	Sun Tzu	The Art of War is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare. Sun Tzu focuses on the importance of positioning in strategy and that position is affected both by objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective opinions of competitive actors in that environment.	0794 Spring and Autumn period (possibly the Warring States period.^[4]) )	0794 unknown, c. 6th century BC	State of Wu		The beginning of The Art of War, in a "classical" bamboo book from the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.
The Methods of the Sima (Chinese : 司馬法 ; pinyin :Sīmǎ Fǎ)	Sima Rangju	A text discussing laws, regulations, government policies, military organization, military administration, discipline, basic values, grand strategy, and strategy.^[5]	0794 Warring States period	0794 4th century BC	State of Qi	-	-
Six Secret Strategic Teachings (Chinese : 六韬 ; pinyin :Liùtāo)	Jiāng Zǐyá,	A treatise on military strategy divided into six chapters, six types of ways to engage in war.	0794 Zhou dynasty	0794 11th century BC	State of Zhou (modern day Shaanxi)		Portrait of Jiang Ziya from the Sancai Tuhui .
Wei Liaozi (Chinese : 尉繚子 ; pinyin :Wèi Liáozi)	Wei Liao	A treatise that advocates both a civil and military approach to affairs. It advocates emphasis on agriculture and people as the two greatest resources of the state. The text centers around a government based on humanistic values, with the ruler as the paradigm of virtue in the state. Heterodoxy and other values not conducive to the state should be punished using draconian measures.^[6]	0794 Warring States period ^[3]	0794 4th–3rd century BC ^[3]	State of Qin	-	-
Wuzi (Chinese : wiktionary: 吳子 ; pinyin :Wuzi)	Wu Qi	The present text of the Wuzi consists of six sections, each focusing on a critical aspect of military affairs: Planning for the State; Evaluating the Enemy; Controlling the Army; the Tao of the General; Responding to Change; and, Stimulating the Officers.	0794 Warring States period ^[3]	0794 During Wu Qi's lifetime (440-381 BC)	State of Wei	-	-
Three Strategies of Huang Shigong (Chinese : 黄石公三略 ; pinyin :Huáng Shígōng Sān Lǜe)	0794 Unknown; attributed to Jiang Ziya and various other authors	The treastise is organized into three sections, which can be interpreted as a hierarchy of importance or as simple indicators of position in the work. The work itself states that all three types of strategy are necessary for different styles of government. Much of the work is concerned with administrative control, but some important tactical concepts are also developed. Generals are placed in a high position, and must be unquestioned once they assume command. Attacks should be swift and decisive.^[7]	0794 Warring States period ^[3]	0794 Unknown; attributed to various time periods	Unknown; attributed to various origins	-	-
Questions and Replies between Tang Taizong and Li Weigong (Chinese : 唐太宗李衛公問對 ; pinyin :Táng Tàizōng Lǐ wèigōng Wènduì)	Emperor Taizong and Li Jing	A dialogue between Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty and Li Jing, a prominent general of that dynasty. It discusses matters of military strategy.^[8]	0794 Tang dynasty ^[3]	0794 7th century	State of Tang		A painting portraying Tang Taizong by painter Yan Liben

Others

Name	Authors	Content	Dynasty	Date	Origin	Image	Description
1400 Sun Bin's Art of War (Chinese : 孫臏兵法 ; pinyin :Sūnbìn Bīngfǎ)	Sun Bin (孫臏)	The treastise contains 89 extensive chapters, with four volumes of pictures attached.	0794 Warring States period.	0794 4th century BCE	0794 Qi state	-	-
Thirty-Six Stratagems (Chinese : 三十六計 ; pinyin :Sānshíliù Jì)	Unknown; attributed to various ^[9]	A text used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, as well as in civil interaction, often through unorthodox or deceptive means	0794 Unknown; attributed to various	0794 Unknown; attributed to various	0794 Unknown; attributed to various		A page from a Ming dynasty edition of the Book of Qi , from which the name of the Thirty-Six Stratagems comes from.
Wujing Zongyao (Chinese :武經總要; pinyin :Wǔjīng Zǒngyào; Wade–Giles :Wu Ching Tsung Yao; lit.'Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques')	Zeng Gongliang (曾公亮), Ding Du (丁度), and Yang Weide (楊惟德)	The text is a Chinese military compendium, covering a wide range of subjects, everything from naval warships to different types of catapults.	0794 Northern Song dynasty	0794 1044 CE	0794 Northern Song state		An illustration of the Wujing Zongyao showing a Chinese Song dynasty naval river ship with a Xuanfeng traction-trebuchet catapult on its top deck.
The General's Garden (simplified Chinese :将苑; traditional Chinese :將苑; pinyin :Jiàng Yuàn)	Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮)	A short text plagiarising earlier military treatises, falsely attributed to Zhuge Liang.	0794 Song dynasty	0794 12th century	0794 Song state		Part of a 12th-century manuscript scroll of the Tangut translation of The General's Garden .
Huolongjing (simplified Chinese :火龙经; traditional Chinese :火龍經; pinyin :Huǒ Lóng Jīng Wade-Giles: Huo Lung Ching)	Jiao Yu (焦玉) and Liu Bowen (劉基)	A treastise that outlines the use of various 'fire–weapons' involving the use of gunpowder. It discusses various gunpowder compositions, bombs, fire arrows, rocket launchers, land mines, naval mines, proto–guns, fire lances, bombards and cannons.^[10]	0794 Ming dynasty	0794 14th century	0794 Ming state		Huolongjing depicting the 'Flying Crow with Magic Fire', an aerodynamic winged rocket bomb.
Jixiao Xinshu (Chinese :紀效新書)	Qi Jiguang (戚繼光)	A text in which Qi Jiguang writes about strategy, armed and unarmed fighting and many other aspects of warfare.	0794 Ming dynasty	0794 1561 CE	0794 Ming state		Painting of Qi Jiguang, author of Jixiao Xinshu.
Records of Armaments and Military Provisions (Chinese :武備志)	Mao Yuanyi (茅元儀)	A military encyclopaedia of strategies, tactics, formations, training, logistics, and weapons.	0794 Ming dynasty	0794 1621 CE	0794 Ming state		Illustration of a platformed crossbow from Records of Armaments and Military Provisions.

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References

↑ Griffith (2006), 1
↑ Hwang, Ching Chane. "Gender and Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific." Macmillan Publishers. p. 59.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Van de Ven, Hans J. (2000). Warfare in Chinese History. BRILL. p. 7. ISBN 90-04-11774-1.
↑ Griffith, Illustrated Art of War, p. 17-18
↑ Sawyer, Ralph D.; Mei Mei-chün Sawyer (1993). The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China. Westview Press. pp. 111–112. ISBN 0-8133-1228-0.
↑ Sawyer (1993) pp. 232–238
↑ Sawyer (1993) pp. 289–291
↑ Van de Ven, Hans J. (2000). Warfare in Chinese History. BRILL. pp. 6–7. ISBN 90-04-11774-1.
↑ "Exploring the Thirty-Six Strategies (Simplified Chinese)". szbf.net. Chinese Strategic Science Network. 2006-07-11. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21.
↑ Needham, Volume 5, Part 7.

Sources

Sun, Tzu, The Art of War, Translated by Sam B. Griffith (2006), Blue Heron Books, ISBN 1-897035-35-7
Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 5, Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Part 7, Military Technology; the Gunpowder Epic. Taipei: Caves Books Ltd.

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[1] Griffith (2006), 1

[2] Hwang, Ching Chane. "Gender and Global Politics of the Asia-Pacific." Macmillan Publishers. p. 59.

[Ven-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Van de Ven, Hans J. (2000). Warfare in Chinese History. BRILL. p. 7. ISBN 90-04-11774-1.

[4] Griffith, Illustrated Art of War, p. 17-18

[Sawyer-5] Sawyer, Ralph D.; Mei Mei-chün Sawyer (1993). The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China. Westview Press. pp. 111–112. ISBN 0-8133-1228-0.

[6] Sawyer (1993) pp. 232–238

[7] Sawyer (1993) pp. 289–291

[Ven67-8] Van de Ven, Hans J. (2000). Warfare in Chinese History. BRILL. pp. 6–7. ISBN 90-04-11774-1.

[szbf-9] "Exploring the Thirty-Six Strategies (Simplified Chinese)". szbf.net. Chinese Strategic Science Network. 2006-07-11. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21.

[needham_volume_5_part_7-10] Needham, Volume 5, Part 7.

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